Track-spreading signal.



PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907.

' I. M.- BOND;

TRACK SPREADING SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED NOV'.'6, 190B.

INVENTOH flaac dilfianw WITNESSES THE mama's PETERS ca, wAsmnuroN. n. c.

IsAAc MONROE BOND, or TACOMA, VIRGINIA.

'TRAGK-SPREADING SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 6, 1906. Serial No- 342,187.

Patented June 18, 1907.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be it known that I, IsAAo MONROE BOND, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Tacoma, in the county of Wise and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Track-Spreading Signal, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. 1

This invention is an improved track spreading signal, the object of which is to automatically indicate the spreading of the rails of railways at any particular point at which the device is applied.

It not infrequently happens that one of the rails of railways under constant usage, especially on sharp curves, is loosened and sprung outward, and if unnoticed and neglected, causes the derailment of a train at this point. With my invention this danger is avoided by a novel device, one embodiment of which is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure. 1 is a perspective of the preferred form of my improvement as applied to the rails of a railway, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section, showing the position taken by the signal upon the spreading of a rail, in dotted outline.

In the preferred construction of my improved signal, it comprises a bar 1, having bolted or otherwise secured at one end thereof a block 2 bent upwardly from the bar at one end, forming a fork therewith for receiving and embracing the flange, as also contacting with the web, at the outside of one of the rails. The opposite end of the bar 1 is vertically slotted for a considerable portion of its length and is provided with horizontal slots 3 in the walls thereof, in the upper edges of which are formed a series of outwardly-inclined teeth 4. A lever 5 is arranged in the vertically-slotted portion of the bar 1, and is suspended thereon by a pin or bolt 6 adapted to be received and held between any of the alining teeth 4. The inner end of the lever 5 is constructed with an enlarged head 7, which is forked to engage the outer flange and the web of the opposite rail. Also pivotally connected in the vertically-slotted portion of the bar 1, near its extremity, is a bell crank lever 8 comprising a long and short arm, the latter being pivotally connected to the outer end of the lever 5 at the point 9. The longer arm of the lever which, when in normal position, is

horizontally disposed as shown in the draw- 7 ing figures, has xed thereto a signal 10.

From this construction it is apparent that should either of the rails of the track spread,

the lever 5 would be forced outwardly, re-erigaging its pivot 6 with other of the teeth 4 and causing the signal to be moved on its pivot in an upward direction.

By extending the block 2 and head 7 in contact with the webs of the rails, it is unnecessary that the rail in its entirety be moved on the sleepers to operate the signal but should one of the rails be caused to be sprung or tilted outwardly, the signal will be likewise operated. By reason of the teeth 4 in the upper edges of the slots 3 engaging the pivot-bolt 6, the levers 5 and 8 are held in the position in which they are forced by the spreading of a rail. This is of importance since it often happens that a rail on working loose, will spring outwardly only as a train is passing over it, thereafter resuming its normal position, and would likely go unnoticed were it not that the signal remains in the position to which it is forced.

Although I have described the preferred form of the invention, I regard the exact con? struction as not material provided the essential characteristics are employed as pointed out in the annexed claims.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of rigid means for engaging one'of the rails of a railway, a signal connected to said means, and a rigid device for engaging the opposite rail adapted to antomatically o erate the signal to indicate the spreading of t e rails.

2. The combination of rigid means for engaging the flange and web of one of the rails of a railway, a signal connected to said means, and a rigid device for engaging the flange and web of the opposite rail, adapted to automatically operate the signal to Indicate the spreading of the rails.

3. The combination of means for engaging one of the rails of a railway, a signal pivotally connected to said means, and means pivotally connected to the signal for engaging the opposite rail, adapted to automatically 0 erati the signal to indicate the spreading of the ra s.

4. The combination of means for engaging one of the rails of a railway, a signal, means engaging the. opposite rail, adapted to automatically move the signal to indicate the spreading of the rails, and means to hold the signal in the position in which it is moved.

5. The combination of a bar having means for engaging one of the rails of a railway, a lever slidably suspended on the bar, engaging the opposite rail and a signal pivoted to said lever.

6. The combination of a slotted bar having means at one end for engaging a rail, a lever slidably suspended in the slot of said bar and engaging the opposite rail, and a bell crank lever having a slgnal, also pivotally connected in the slot of said barand to said first-named lever, for the purpose described.

7. The combination of a slotted bar having means for engaging one of the rails of a railway, teeth at the sides of the slotted end of said bar, alever having a pin slidablysuspending it in the slot of the bar and engagin the opposite rail, said pin engaging sai teeth, and a bell crank lever having a signal, pivoted to said first-named lever and the bar, for the purpose described. 2 5

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC MONROE BOND. Witnesses:

H. D. MILLER, ARCHER JOHNSON. 

